Israeli fire killed an Indonesian peacekeeper serving with a U.N. mission in southern Lebanon, a U.N. security source said Tuesday, raising fresh concerns over the safety of international forces amid Israeli aggression in the region.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had said that the peacekeeper was killed on Sunday evening when a projectile of unknown origin "exploded in a UNIFIL position near Adchit al Qusayr," while two more Indonesian blue helmets were killed in south Lebanon the following day.
The source told AFP on condition of anonymity that evidence had been identified that the source of the fire on Sunday was an Israeli tank.
Ten European countries, including France and the United Kingdom, Tuesday urged all sides to ensure the safety of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon after three peacekeepers were killed in recent days.
"We urge all parties, under all circumstances, to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises, in accordance with international law," the foreign ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Greek Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union's top diplomat, said in a joint statement.
Germany also condemned attacks that killed three U.N. troops in Lebanon and urged Israel and Hezbollah to ensure the safety of international peacekeepers deployed in the region.
"We strongly condemn the recent attacks on UNIFIL troops in Lebanon, which left three Indonesian peacekeepers dead," the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement, extending condolences to the victims' families.
The incidents come as Israel continues its attacks in southern Lebanon, aiming to occupy the region up to the Litani River.
